Ryuichi Okuno

Ryuichi is a reliable, young man who serves as the recurring protagonist of The Crater (1969-70). The Crater is a series of independent science-fiction and fantasy short stories similar to the Twilight Zone in structure and theme. He appears in each issue as a different person, with a different backstory and different life. Here he comes into repeated conflict with tricks of fate, alternate lifetimes and universes, and issues of reincarnation and immortality, again making the Phoenix’s choice in “Future” make more sense. He also suffers repeatedly in these brief lives, since morality plays tend to end badly, and in the course of this brief series he suffers as much as even Tezuka’s most ill-fated recurring characters, such as Rock/Makube or Saruta/Honma. Ryuichi bears a striking similarity to Yamanobei, the protagonist of the “Future” chapter of Phoenix, written two years earlier; if the two are indeed the same then Ryuichi’s long trials may be another reason for Yamanobei’s selection by the Phoenix. Also goes by “Okuchin”.

A young man who lets his hair grow to hide one eye. His “official name” is Ryuichi Okuno, which is often also used as his character’s name. He debuted in “The Crater” (1969). His guest appearance in Black Jack is similar to that in “The Crater”, in that he plays many different roles. Mitsutoshi Ishigami contends that Yahachi Yakeno, the protagonist of “Yakeppachi’s Maria” (1970), is also played by Ryuichi.